In Our Time
by januarylightsphere
Summary: She didn't sign up for this war. She wasn't ready. But she coped with it well enough. (Rin Kazami kept deceiving herself.)
1. Chapter 1

**disclaimer:** I do not own Bakugan.

 **Author's note: Retelling of New Vestroia of course. I intended to write the first season because no matter what people say it's great and i love it but i got lazy and went with season 2 instead. I apologize in advance if this story isn't so detailed, because it's been years since I last saw Bakugan.**

 **Rin Kazami is the first OC I've created. I love her a lot. I want to write about her. So here she is. I will attempt to make this character un-Sueish as I possibly can.**

* * *

Rin Kazami ("Please don't ever call me Miss Kazami". She would insist, sweetly and lovely but her hands were ready to punch you if you disobeyed. She was never to lose her cool over something so trivia, or at least, it was what she claimed) was a brawler of no stunning talents.

Shun Kazami, her brother, would say that she would eventually get better if she practiced well enough, but Rin had moved to America since her mom passed away (it still made her uneasy to confront Shun, because nothing could change the ugly truth that she left him and grandfather to move to her father's place. She often remembered the time when they were close) and focused on study instead of joining Bakugan war (admittedly, she regretted it a lot, since Shun was in it, and she'd missed Shun as if she hadn't missed him for ages. Later, Shun called her, of course, to tell her everything was alright in his curt, controlled voice, and Drago had became the core of New Vestroia, of Bakugan's homeland, and of course all Bakugan had to come back because it was their homeland. Including Skyress. Rin remembered her sobbing, because Skyress was like a mother to Shun, to her.

"It was somewhat sad." He'd said. "When I thought that you didn't have your own Bakugan."

Translate: I missed you.)

Her American friends once asked about what Rin wanted, and she just shrugged. "I want to have my own Bakugan."

They considered it a joke.

Rin didn't even bother.

The first words Shun said to her, after more than three years of not seeing each other: "Why are you so thin?"

Rin stared at him, and then burst out laughing at the middle of the airport.

Shun wasn't amused.

\- and now she kind of got his feeling at that time, now, when she was running and hiding in the forest. And honestly, it wasn't what she expected when she came back from America.

Note to self for the nth times: Never agree to practice ninja skills with your brother in the evening, you may be stuck in a portal, which may send you to the land of Bakugan, New Vestroia.

Wildgress, her Ventus Bakugan, told her so.

It was funny about the way fate worked, you know, it only took a grab, a jump, a quick action for her to save a Bakugan that would become her partner, thus, fulfill her dreams.

(She told Shun, and he laughed at her, the bastard.)

Ah, back to the current event, she was hiding from a hovecraft ridden by a scrawny little kid (smaller than her, and calling him bastard might insult the word, goddamn it she couldn't believe that he was scrawnier than her.), his Flybeetle was all everywhere, looking for their preys.

"Don't worry, Rin. You can just send me out -" Wildgress suggested.

"Shut up." She said. "Let me be good at the only thing I can." That only thing named 'hiding', because Rin was no talented brawler, and if she lost to the scrawny kid, Wildgress would be captured.

No suck luck.

(And really, Rin thought, she just had the worst luck sometimes.)

One Flybeetle's flew over her head, and Rin had to shut her eyes momentarily when its wing blew away some bushed.

Pink hair, seriously. What kind of style did Vexos got?

"Well, what have we got?"

"Are you blind?" She shouted. "Too scared to get down?"

The scrawny little shit just smirked at her: "Flybeetle, attack."

"Rin!"

"Damn it. Ventus Wildgress, stand. Attack him!" It was hard not keep herself from smiling like a smitten fool at the sight of Wildgress, green and strong and with silver fangs and sharp claws, roar of a lion and wings of a dragon, blasted the damn Flybeetle and created so much dirt.

"Don't think I'll let you get off easily!" Her opponent shouted, and threw another Flybeetle out, but before Rin or he could reach, a six-winged bird man knocked out it first, then a hooded figure jumped down beside her, grabbed her arm, and ran away.

People could consider lucky to be saved. But Rin knew he'd bite her head off when they got to safe place.

The first thing Shun said to her, after they were back in their hiding place (a dry and warm cave and quite clean), was of course: "What did you do to your hair?"

Rin huffed and crossed her arms over her chest, but she didn't dare to glare at him. Because he was awful and a terrible friend, Wildgress started to laugh. "I hate you." She informed Wildgress crossly, and then looked at Shun, explanation running like quicksilver. "Just some leaves. Some trees took offence at my intrusion into their branches."

Shun raised an eyebrow.

"I thought I told you not to go out alone."

Rin bit the insides of her mouth. "You have been gone for five days, Shun." It sounded defeated, but this world was dangerous even if she had utmost faith in Shun's abilities and his devotion, but there was a distance that she didn't dare to cross, a hole between them after their mom's death and her going to America and his fighting Bakugan war without her by his side and Rin'd be damned if she let him do this again.

He had friends, but she was his little sister and she was selfish and wishing for too much.

Shun sighed. "I'm sorry." But his voice wasn't heavy. "But I came back with good news."

"Oh." There was relief colored his voice and Rin immediately decided she'd like the news. "What?"

"I've found Dan and Marucho."

Rin became very very still.

(There was another flash of dearest childhood memories, a boy whose eyes holding fire).

* * *

 **Hope you like it.**


	2. Chapter 2

**disclaimer:** still don't own Bakugan.

* * *

When Shun (bless that guy, bless him, really) defeated Gus's Vulcan, Dan became unaware of everything but the sudden thrill of being able to meet his best friend after so long, and the fact that Shun was actually here, jumping down from his Bakugan as the showy bastard he was. It took immense effort not to pinch himself right there to be sure that no, he wasn't dreaming it all up, and yes, Shun was there. He might have started dancing around on the spot if he had had less dignity - but Dan couldn't and never would make a fool of himself in front of his opponent, especially when the aforementioned was wearing a mask.

(This mask was uglier than Masquerade's, in Dan's opinion.)

He was so full of excitement and itching for teaming up with Shun that he supposed it was no wonder that he didn't notice the girl next to Shun until she gave a really sweet 'Hello, Marucho' and Marucho exclaimed "Rin'' and Dan had to blink several times to make sure that his eyes weren't playing trick on him.

There was a really familiar girl, with black hair (pulled up in a ponytail, high enough up on her neck so that the end of her hair brushed the base of the back of her neck) and amber eyes mirrored her brother's and her name was Rin, and she was ever fond of punching him and teaching him how to throwing things properly -

(He missed her as if he hadn't missed her for a long time.)

Shun's voice snapped him out of his thought.

"Dan, the battle."

Right, the battle, he still had a problem called Spectra - blonde, and mask.

Mask.

Dan remembered Masquerade, merciless and strong and unbelievably as kind as Alice, throwing out his Hydranoid as if he owned the battlefield, and brave to the very end -

Spectra sent out his Pyrus Bakugan named Helios, and the image of Masquerade burnt into Dan's mind.

It was so easy, Rin thought, the fact that Dan and Shun had defeated the man in red cloak and mask. It was so easy, the way their Bakugan defeated that giant dragon named after the god of the Sun - the name didn't really mean anything, Rin told herself firmly, it was merely a name.

A name represented a terrible power.

But Drago was certainly more powerful. He was, after all, the core of New Vestroia, every brawler knew this. And Rin'd witnessed it just then, when Helios taunted about Tigrerra, who had been captured. Drago had been furious, and rainbow color power happened. What was that power, really -

"Rin?" Marucho asked, his eyes concerned, and she looked down at him, startled.

"What?"

"You've been spacing out." He said. Rin darted her eyes around to see four paired of eyes staring at her with unreadable expression. Hold on a sec - was a boy holding her brother's hand? And what was Wildgress doing? Hugging Drago?

According to Marucho, while she was busy thinking of the battle, they had introduced each other, and apparently, Wildgress had managed to befriend with Drago pretty fast, such a traitor of a Bakugan.

"You came back from America without telling me." Of course, it would be the first thing Dan said to her after three years without much contact. "You hurt my feelings."

"I thought Shun had told you."

"He didn't!"

"He didn't?"

"I thought you had told others yourself." Shun said as they entered the Bakugan Battle Brawler's coach.

"But I forgave Shun." Marucho replied cheerily. "Since he saved me in the battle with Mylene."

"Poor you. That woman gives me creep."

"And this is Mira." Dan pointed to the girl with orange hair. "And this is Ace." The tea-haired boy was looking at her with uneasiness, which she took offence really because she had done nothing before he opened his mouth:

"Your Bakugan has been harassing my Percival, thought you ought to know."

...

And now Wildgress was talking non-stop to Dragon.

Rin could bury herself in a hole now.

"But why didn't you join us sooner?" Dan asked.

A moment of silence, then -

"I intended to, but I had to get back for something extremely important."

If it had been anyone but Dan, Shun would have been punched in the face already (if anyone could), but it was Dan, he knew it didn't mean anything hard, Shun didn't brush them off.

"What's that?"

Then Baron announced, catching their attention.

"Guys, we're almost there. Alpha City, New Vestroia."

"Just where I'm heading. I'm going to break in and find Skyress."

Rin finally understood, that was why he was nowhere to be seen for the past five days. Something in her snarled, of course her brother could do that, trying to breaking in Alpha city alone before realizing that he couldn't do that by himself and finally going to Dan's place. Maybe he wouldn't, if he hadn't seen Marucho duel Mylene. It would have been her and Shun, not the Bakugan Battle Brawler Resistance.

 _At least he know he can't save Skyress alone,_ a voice in her mind soothed.

She turned on her heels, and thought of the lamest excuse in the world.

"I'm hungry, care to accompany me?"

But she was looking expectantly at Dan, and years of being her friends taught him that if he didn't follow her, she'd stab him in his sleep. She was just that _bad._

 _"_ Yeah, I'll show you the way."

Rin looked back at him, and paused just long enough for Dan to fall into steps with her. It was practically a welcome back hug, coming from the queen of awkwardness (and madness) herself, and Dan couldn't help but smile when they walked side by side. They could walk in silence and feel completely at ease, except it wasn't. Rin was biting her lips, and it was her sign of resentment, of desperation, and the first shiver of doom went up Dan's back.

He was completely hopeless when girls were being like this, especially it was Rin Kazami, who'd rather die before showing others her vulnerability.

But if he didn't say something, Dan might wake up and find his body full of holes.

"You know..." He eventually got the words out. "He might be worried about you."

"Oh, what do you reckon?" Rin inquired pleasantly, all traces of desperation gone, and Dan might have cried if he had had less dignity.

"You know, Shun is worried about you. He may think it was dangerous to let you go to Alpha City with him and -"

Her gaze turned very, very icy.

"It would lower the chance of getting caught if he went alone, I know."

 _Then why are you being like this?_

She said in a detached, regal manner, and all of sudden Dan felt like he was kneeling down before a queen. Maybe she knew it, too, because she said.

"Come on, Dan, I'm not going to harm you in any ways, shapes, or forms. I'm just..."

"Feeling helpless?" He suggested. He knew this feeling too, this feeling of unable to do anything to protect someone dear to you from harm, to change the fate that was written for them, like when Masquerade disappeared (don't get him wrong, he adored Alice greatly, but Masquerade... he didn't deserve his fate. Hell, if Masquerade knew Dan was thinking such things, he might chop off Dan's head.)

"That might be the word." She agreed. "Dan, do you think that the distance between Shun and me will disappear?"

"He's your brother, Rin. He loves you. There is no distance between you too."

Dan was so sure, because he knew Shun cherished Rin more than anything else, Shun didn't, and never would do something that could harm Rin.

But who was he to say tell her, when she was laughing like if she repeated his words in her mind enough times, she might believe?

"Such wise words coming from you, lover boy."

"What?!"

Someone please teach him how to deal with her's mood swings.

"Come on, what's that about you and Runo?"

"You're violating my privacy!"

"Oh, come on Danny boy -"

"I told you not to call me that!"

* * *

 **criticism is much welcome. flame is not.**


	3. Chapter 3

**disclaimer: I will never own Bakugan, sad, but true.**

* * *

"Finally, there it is." Dan smiled upon seeing the sight of Alpha City. There wasn't much plant around it. From afar, one could see an arena for Bakugan battle.

Marucho jumped in excitement: "Alpha City New Vestroia here we come!"

"Ok, follow me." said Shun.

He lead them to an air duct underground. "This air duct goes underground and comes up inside the city."

Dan stated, helping Marucho up. "This way we can sneak into the city undetected." And being the gentleman he was, offer his hand to help Mira up, which was totally unnecessary in Ace's opinion.

"How did you find it, Shun?" Marucho asked.

"I have been checking the area for couple of days."

"Nice work man, it's great to have you on the team." Dan said.

Rin looked down at the air duct before saying. "Be careful. It'll hurt a lot if one of those wings... touches you." Dan decided to ignore the glee in her voice.

"Let's go!" Shun said, jumping down the fans, smoothly.

"Wow!" Baron exclaimed in awe. "That's seriously awesome ninja action. Now it's my turn!" And he jumped.

Rin sighed, knowing all too well how this would end, even she could get headache from spinning fans. She rolled up her sleeves and followed them.

"It seems you're not so out of practice." She heard Dan say, and made a mental note to teach him a free lesson later.

The walk through the duct was not long, and it wasn't exciting to find out that the first thing they encountered upon climbing up the road of Alpha City was a Bakugan battle.

A Bakugan battle for entertaining purposes.

It also wasn't exciting when almost being knocked out by cars. Careless drivers, Dan thought, were really dangerous. After all, he couldn't send Drago out to throw a car away.

Rin looked extremely pleased with his dilemma.

"After all this time, you're still that clumsy?"

"Actually I could avoid all traps in your grandfather's estate three years ago."

"Doing something I could do impresses me, really."

"But I'm not a trained ninja -

"You two, stop." Shun cut in, and others looked in amusement when Dan and Rin made a face at him. A very similar face, and both of them pointedly ignored it when Ace asked if they were sure they were not blood-related.

* * *

"This is where I used to live."Mira said, nostalgia evident in her voice. "My father still works here."

Rin thought she kind of understood. Neither Shun nor Rin got along with their father after their parents' divorce, especially when he took custody of Rin. He wasn't a bad person, he allowed her to visit mom and Shun quite often. And his new wife was nice, too, but she just... couldn't.

"It isn't what I was expecting," said Dan, looking around, Marucho nodded. "I thought a city full of Vestal would look more evil, you know."

"Yes, but everyone looks like us," agreed Marucho. "It overwhelms me, really. It doesn't make sense, how can they not understand Bakugan?"

"The government must be really good at blinding people." Rin said, hearing the kids talking about wanting to join Vexos when they were older, like Bakugan was a form of entertainment. Apparently, Dan heard too, since he took her hands to unclench her fist (he was always quick to notice the smallest changes in her attitude, that boy).

"I guess the Vexos are their heroes." He said, slowly, mostly to Rin, a way of telling her not to get angry over children. "I mean, they're children, they don't know better."

"That's true," said Marucho, "We can't really blame them for getting excited."

"But everyone needs to learn the truth." Baron stated.

"Bakugan are intelligent beings who deserve to be free." It was Ace, voice cold but not unkind, and for a brief moment Dan had to wonder if all the Darkus brawler put on mask to hide their true power and gentleness, whether it be Ace (harsh and cold and unbelievably unreasonable sometimes) or Alice (kind, sweet and unbelievable strong Alice, when her grandfather was turned evil and her body and mind were controlled).

"Remember it's not their fault." Mira spoke quietly. "I was like that too, before I found out the truth." She remembered Keith, kind and strong brother, everything she'd got in this cold and deceiving world.

"We'll make them realize." Dan's determination was always the most admirable of them all. "Bakugan are alive, feel pain, and should be set free."

"I think the best way is to make them listen the voices of Bakugan." Rin said, desert-dry, but it was a sign of calmness, a sign telling them that she wouldn't punch random people if they kept talking like the Vexos were good. It was the flaws in Rin's character. She knew and expected people to understand what she knew while they couldn't. And when they couldn't, she just got really really mad.

She knew displomacy, but often resorted to throwing punches instead.

If she even got herself into trouble at America, Dan wasn't surprised.

"Still," continued Rin absent-mindedly. "I understand if that kid wants to be like Spectra, but why does his friend even want to be like Shadow Prove? Really? That guy?"

"You talk like you've encountered him." Baron said, earning himself a loud snort from Rin.

"It was very pleasing. I was stealing my gaunlet when I met him. Beating him up before he could start a brawl."

Sometimes, violence was indeed necessary.

Shun pretended to be unhappy.

Elfin, Marucho's Bakugan opened up in his hands. "Anyway, we should really destroy the dimension controller first."

"I'm with her." Said Dan. "Where is it, Shun?"

Shun pointed to the Bakugan arena, and Ace explained: "The dome in the centre of city is the battle arena, where Bakugan tournaments take place."

"In that tower, on top of that is the dimension controller."

"You know what, I'm gonna jump and throw Wildgress out to destroy it."

"No, you're not."

"Come on Shun, don't kill the mood."

"There is no mood."

"What are you waiting for, let's get to work guy." Dan was very pumped up.

"Hold on, I want to check out the controller first."

"Have you lost it, Shun? This controller needs to be destroyed right now."

"No Dan, you have to listen to Shun."

"Said the one wanting to jump up and destroy it."

"But you're barking mad."

"Please you two!" Poor Marucho in the role of peacemaker. "We should give Shun a chance, after all we got into the city thanks to him."

"Whatever, let's just get going -"

But Mira had another idea in her mind. "Sorry, I can't join you. There is something I have to take care of alone."

"Weird." Dan commented.

"No, it's not, considering she used to live here."

Shun shut them up before they even started another pointless argument.

X

It was... sickening.

 _How can you, father, how can you?_

Mira was so angry, angry at her father, angry at Lync, angry at this artificial creature, and mostly, at herself.

How could she be so stupid? How could she think that father would tell her about Keith's whereabouts?

(if Mira had something in common with her father, she realized, it must be their stubborness.)

Ventus Altair roared, and Mira cringed.

Take a deep breath. Gain your composure. Think of Resistance. They're watching you. You're better than that. Your Wilda is better than _that._

Her father's laughter echoed loudly in her head, and Mira had to shut her eyes for a moment -

"Ability activate, Volcano Hammer!"

"It was such a glorious sight." She'd hear Wildgress say to Wilda, much later, after this battle was finished, everything to add data to her father research. "When you punched that machine from above."

Lync clicked his tongue in annoyance: "You really don't know when you're beaten, right? Double Ability, Mega Shield, plus Thunder Fire!"

"Bakugan Trap, Baliton!"

Mira grit her teeth. She would not back down -

One more, one more move and she'd finish that thing -

Altair couldn't move. Of course that thing couldn't. Mira knew it, from her knowledge of her father, Altair wasn't completed yet, and she had to grab the chance. Behind her, Dan was yelling to her to finish it, as if she hadn't known that -

"Apollo Head!" The power level of Baliton increased 200. And she watched as Baliton released his horns to tie Altair down, there was just no way a mechanic Bakugan could compare to a real Trap Bakugan -

Her father's voice was very, very loud.

"Do it, Lync. Destroy them, now!"

Ah, it was her father.

Lync laughed.

"Spinal Saucer plus Thunder Fire!"

Destroy them.

Her father'd told Lync to hurt his own daughter.

"Look at this power level. It's incredible." exclaimed Baron.

Indeed, Rin thought as she looked at her gaunlet, very close to throwing something at the man who was Mira's father (they had the same nose, she noticed, and he was waiting for someone to hurt his own daughter), but Shun was holding her arms, very very tightly, as if he could sense she was about to do something extremely rash. It was oddly calming, when Ace was calling for Mira to back down, and Mira replied with a firm 'Never', Rin just had the strangest feeling that they would get out safe.

Altair's attack missed. On its own. Because Altair was mechanic and it couldn't endure the energy of repeated double ability.

Like all machines, Altair was shut down.

And Mira couldn't tell if she was feeling relieved or disappointed.

Lync picked up Altair, which had turned back into ball form, and smirked: "Well, no big deal. Just another broken Bakugan. You got lucky."

Dan snarled. "You don't even care!"

"Why? Soon Professor Clay will finish it, so be careful, I'll finish you next time." With that being said, he was gone.

Mira didn't really care about Lync.

 _Father, what's wrong with you?_

She never, really, understood her father. She just thought she had.


	4. Chapter 4

**disclaimer:** I do not own Bakugan.

 **author's note:** really, awful retelling of the original episode, with OC in it.

* * *

After explaining what they had found out to Mira, the girl pondered.

"So, we should destroy the dimension controller now. It's more convenient when we've found out how it works."

"We should take advantage of the upcoming tournament." Drago advised.

"Right, perfect timing." Wildgress added.

"OK." Mira, ever the quick thinker, had decided the plan. "Everyone, we need to move fast. We need to divide into two teams. Two people will battle together in the tournament, and the rest of us sneak inside and find the controller."

"Sneaking is actually my specialty -" Rin spoke, at the same time as Dan, who raised his hands:

"I call the battle. Drago and I will fight for the resistance."

"That's actually good, until you remember Vexos is hunting Drago." Wildgress said.

"No fair, you always get the battle." Baron argued, and Dan, who seemed to never grow past the age of 5, started to engaged into that fight, which, of course, put Mira's patience to an end.

"ENOUGH!" She yelled in a voice that Rin never thought human was allowed to reach. "Be quiet! We'll draw numbers to decide. No argument! No objection! Clear?"

It didn't take Dan too long to let out a cry.

As they watched Shun and Ace (in disguise, of course, and Rin tried her very best not to comment on Ace's mask), Dan grumbled:

"Those two are an odd match up. Don't you think?"

Shun and Ace easily clear first rounds. They were talented, but it didn't mean they worked well together. From what Rin saw, it didn't look like they were cooperating. Well, teamwork took a lot of effort.

"They're making me nervous." Commented Mira, who was watching with concern.

"Their styles are so different." Said Baron.

And do you think Dan sat well with that? He yelled. "Argh! Let me switch places with them, they can destroy the controller -"

Rin hit this head. "No, you lost in drawing straws. We must go and find the controller."

Mira decided to change the topic.

"Look, Marucho's up next."

"Mask Brawler, really." Rin sighed. "His losing is in plan, right? He won't be devastated because of it, right?"

"Come on, Rin." Dan said. "Marucho isn't a child anymore."

"Yes, under your influence, he's no longer the cute boy I know."

"What do you mean by MY influence?"

"Why am I," Wildgress told Dragon "under the pressure that we're babysitter of two big kids?"

"Get used to it, buddy." Dragon advised, wisely.

* * *

Marucho lost, and that was when they plan started. He, as Rin put in, looked like a harmless child, harmless enough to trick the security guard, harmless enough for Rin to forget that Baron was actually the youngest of them all. Outside, the crowd was cheering for Vexos members' appearances, and Rin scoffed.

But now, they had something more important to attend.

Because honestly, she didn't expect all of them to show up there. And that was the reason why the number of guards was quadruped. Mira had pointedly ignored her offer to let herself distract all of them, and Rin had questioned because honestly, why did they need five to find the damn controller and destroy it, but Dan stick by Mira's side, and said comrades had to be together. It was endearing of him, she thought, a little annoyed and a lot flattered - until they got caught (and to be honest, they looked so suspicious not to be.)

Her mind raced for a solution, it would be easy to knock them out, but without alarming the whole building, well -

She reached for the kunai in her pocket.

And Mira acted something unexpectedly, she started jumping and blushing and speaking in overly excited tone, going on and on about how much they 'admired' Vexos and how great they are. If had they been alone and safe, Rin would have laughed at her and recorded it as a reminder,

At least they got away safely.

"Wow, that was a quick thinking, Mira." Baron said, after his heart finally calmed down.

"Such a fangirl, though." Dan grinned and mimicked the high-pitched tone. "Vexos totally rock!"

"Very funny." Mira gritted her teeth, Dan grinned cheekily in response.

Rin placed her finger on her lips. "They're coming." She mouthed. And if there was something she knew about Vexos, it was that they got incredible instinction. She suspected it might have something to do with being a Brawler. They watched in silence as Shadow and Mylene walked past, and heard the security reported about them.

(Her eyes must have tricked on her, Mira guessed, to see the way Spectra caught his own Bakugan and linked that devil with her sweet brother. This action must not be so special. Everyone could do it.

\- but it was Keith's habit, and Mira could imitate it with her very own hands, because she remembered clearly how his hands curved into -)

Dan stood up.

"I can't let this opportunity pass. I'm gonna challenge him."

The first thought came to Rin mind was: "I'm going to murder him."

Luckily, this thought wasn't faster than her action, she told Baron: "Drag him and run." And turned to grab Mira and Marucho by their hands, and shoved three of them behind the column of boxes. The shadow retreated few seconds later, and Rin realised a little too late that she was covering Marucho's mouth too tight.

"I'm sorry." She muttered, before beckoning them to follow Dan and Baron.

(it wasn't time, but she would definitely murder Dan later.)

"You do realise," Marucho said to Dan as they started running again. "If you get caught, everything will be over, right?"

"I think Spectra has already known." Rin said.

"Are you sure?"

"No. I just get the feeling. But Alpha City is Volt and Lync to manage, I don't think we will have to fight Spectra. You should feel lucky -" She added, seeing the face Dan was making. "Since we can't afford time to fight him, even though I have absolute faith in your ability." That wasn't a totally truth, however. All she heard about Dan's skills was from what Shun told her, and frankly, Rin didn't believe in anything but her own eyes.

Maybe only she thought they were running out of time, because the others looked perfectly contented to see Ace and Shun overcome their differences to cooperate. But she couldn't help smiling at that.

"They took off their mask, now Vexos all know we are here." She said that instead, and other four looked at her with wide eyes before groaning simultaneously.

"They must think they look cool." Mira said, smiling fondly. "Or at least, Ace."

* * *

"Well, they are fast." Rin commented as she and Marucho walked, too left behind to keep those three in sight. "Or maybe Dan was too fast and those two had to keep up with him to stop him from doing something stupid."

"I'm sorry." Marucho hang his head. "I was tired at the wrong times -"

"Dan is... energetic. He forgets he can get tired sometimes. It's perfectly normal to be tired after running. And I have to say, we've kept running for quite a long time."

"You should go with them." He insisted, leaning on the wall. "I can take care of myself. I can't keep go on but -"

"No but, we'll find something safe for you to -"

Answering her was Marucho's yelling of surprise, gosh, who designed the building to have a freaking tunnel behind the wall? Even her grandfather couldn't think of that creepy trap.

"Marucho!" Rin shouted "Elfin!" It was crazy, she thought, to quicken her falling pace, to lose control of her speed (and who gave a damn about controlling when your friend was falling?) but she somehow managed to catch Marucho, and Elfin, and gosh - "Wildgress, try to hold on!"

"Easier said than done!" He screamed.

This fall was terrible and messy and Rin had the sinking feeling that it would make her muscles ache for _weeks._ Damn damn damn damn damn Dan and his speed, damn her and her slow movement, damn whoever designed this fucking city -

Well, the worst was that it could lead her to above the arena, and if that happened she would, definitely, destroy the dimension controller with her fist.

\- the worst didn't happen, and Rin liked to think that it was because she lead such a good life that she and Marucho ended up falling down on the guards' heads. From what she could see, Dan, Baron and Mira had been caught, in a room, with many Bakugan in their ball form, being kept in what looked like test tubes, seemingly in a state of suspension.

"Sorry guys." Marucho smiled sheepishly.

"Nice ride. So dizzy." Wildgress groaned.

"Nice one, guys!" Dan exclaimed. "Good work!"

"I wouldn't say that." Rin said dryly. "Now we've alerted them all."

"Yes." Dan agreed when she freed him. "We're running out of time."

True to her guess, they kept running across security guards on the way. There weren't many of them, and they would easily be knocked out with kunai and kicks, but even the kunai had to run out at some point, and Rin knew she didn't have enough time to collect them all every time she threw one. It'd be troublesome if they encountered a large number of guards -

Cursing fate.

"Coming!" Mira growled, attacking with an iron cart (who knew she took it from, but that looked _hurt)_

Marucho held one of the guards by his legs, Baron kept three of them, and Rin - well, one was holding her arms and in Dan's opinion, it was a very stupid thing to do, because that bony knees of her attacked _hard,_ and that elbow, Dan would trade anything - well maybe except Drago - in order not to be the receiving end of those elbows.

"Go, Dan." She shouted. "Finish it properly!"

"Yes, you go, we'll hold them back!"

"Go with the plan!"

"We're counting on you!"

* * *

 _I can't let anyone down. I just can't._

Ace and Shun were fighting out there to buy him time. Rin, Mira, Baron and Marucho were holding back the security to buy him time - however, Dan suspected, they were only dealing with a small portion of them.

They were outnumbered, but not outpowered, and Dan believed them.

He believed in himself too - if not, he didn't deserved their trust.

But to believe in himself didn't mean he couldn't get frustrated upon facing the security system made of laser seperating him from the reserve switch. He'd rather fight outside than dealing with something like that - it required precision to get through this kind of system, and apparently, he couldn't touch the switch, and the best solution, as Drago put in, was to 'throw me in a straight line, past the laser beam, I can touch the switch'.

If that didn't require precision, Dan didn't know what else did.

And precision, it was something Rin - and Shun were good at, not Dan, who were reckless and impulse more than he could ever admit -

They were busting the door down.

There was no turning back now.

"Dan!" Dragon urged him.

But what if he failed? That laser beam could easily slice Drago in half - _no, don't think that, Dan Kuso, you're not allowed -_

"What if I miss?"

"You won't. I trust you."

Dan held his breath. _Don't breathe when you throw something, it helps you focus,_ under other circumstances, Shun would be so proud of him, Dan thought -

"For the sake of Bakugan." He muttered.

The door opened, and he threw Drago. "Go, buddy! Bakugan, brawl!"

(There was something oddly calming when he shouted)

The laser beam hurt like hell, Dragon groaned, but it wasn't enough, it must take much more to stop him, who had endured so much pain on being split from the Core.

He was coming closer, closer -

Click.

"Perfect shot!" It was Dan's voice, happy and relieved, and the guards were too stunned to do anything.

The power was coming back to him, Dragon could sense it, it felt like home, like New Vestroia from the old days, refreshing and comfortable and plentiful. He could hear them, the Bakugan, roar from the distance, free from the tube holding them like experimental samples.

That was how New Vestroia worked.

They were free.


End file.
